Longing to linger till dawn
by Kirsteena
Summary: Future!fic. Artie and Tina take a 'dream vacation', but neither of them could predict the consequences. For gigundoly for the 2010 ArTina ficathon. Due warning, huge angst inside.
1. Chapter 1

Written for gigundoly for the 2010 ArTina ficathon, the prompt was: **_Inspired by the new movie, Inception... Future fic! Artie and Tina take a "dream vacation," a shared dream in which Artie can do whatever he wants in a perfect body. But what happens when Artie doesn't want to leave?_**

This kind of took on a life of its own, and turned into a huge epic in three parts. As due warning, this isn't a happy, fluffy piece - the muses decided they wanted to go this way, and I couldn't stop them. I have to say a huge thank you to Heather, my fellow Inception-obsessed rp'er, without whom this probably wouldn't have gotten finished. Sorry it's one of the last to be published. I swear I am the world's slowest fic writer. Many thanks to Troubadette for organising the ficathon!

**Disclaimer for the story:** Glee isn't owned by me, but by Fox and Ryan Murphy productions. Inception is owned by Warner Bros and Christopher Nolan. I'm just playing in the sandbox.

* * *

_Stars shining up above you,_  
_Night breezes seem to whisper I love you..._

_She couldn't help laughing at the way he danced across the room towards her, his eyes fixed on her. Her stomach still flipped at his gaze, knowing that that particular expression was reserved only for her, that it was only ever about her. She stood up from her seat, moving swiftly over to place herself in her arms. Just that little bit taller than her, it seemed as if she fitted there perfectly, like she was always meant to be there._

_He pulled her close, gently moving in time with the music, while she placed her head on his shoulder. He was singing, his voice low so that only she could hear the words. The other couples dancing around them seemed to gradually fade into the background, leaving them alone on the dance floor._

_Birds singing in the sycamore tree_  
_Dream a Little Dream of Me..._

_Oh the things that man's voice could do to her... She moved her head back slightly so she could look up at him. "Artie?" was all she had the chance to say, before he twirled her, and after he'd pulled her back to him, dipped her. It was as if time froze for an instant, before she was in his arms again._

_"Hmmm?" he said, before softly taking up the words to the song again._

_"I love you."_

Tina woke with a start, gasping slightly, unsure of her surroundings. It took her a few seconds to work out where she was – sat on the sofa in her house, having fallen asleep cuddled against Artie while they were relaxing, watching television. She looked up at his face, his blue eyes looking down at her. "Hey," he said, before leaning down to press a kiss against her forehead.

"Oh hey, I'm sorry, I dozed off," she replied, almost embarrassed by it. They got such little time alone these days compared to the old days of high school, with so many more demands upon their time, that each moment alone should be treasured. Instead she'd fallen asleep.

"It's okay," he replied, smiling and gently tugging her closer. She moved, deliberately crawling into his lap, watching as his smile changed, becoming more possessive. She knew that smile only too well, and snaked a hand up to rake her nails through his hair before leaning in, kissing him, a tiny moan escaping her as he pressed her body close to him. "I take it they were good dreams?" he murmured before moving his mouth down, kissing her neck, giving a low laugh as she arched into his touch.

Almost ten years married and they could still affect each other like this. If her mind wasn't being scrambled by his kisses, his touch on her body, Tina would be smug. "Artie..." she gasped.

"Mommy?" A small voice came from the doorway to the family room. Both of them froze, as they turned to look at the source, Tina glanced at Artie, giggling quietly. Timing.

"What's up, Anna?" Tina asked, quickly moving off of Artie's lap to go and pick up their daughter.

"Monsters," Anna replied, burying her head in her mother's shoulder. "Scary ones."

"Under the bed?"

"Uh huh."

"Why don't we send Daddy to scare them away? He's the best at monster scaring." Tina turned to look at Artie, who had already moved from the sofa to his chair. Her breath caught in her throat. For a moment she'd forgotten about the chair, she was so caught up in the heat of the moment after the dream.

_Say Nighty-night and kiss me,_  
_Just hold me tight and tell me you miss me_

Shaking her head slightly, she smiled at Artie as Anna climbed into his lap, throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Daddy," she said.

"Let's go and chase those nasty monsters away before they wake up your brother, hmmm?" Tina heard as Artie left the room slowly. She watched him go before she mentally shook herself once again.

_It was only a dream._

_

* * *

_

It took nearly thirty minutes for Artie to calm Anna down to the point where she was able to go back to sleep, time which Tina used to make them both cocoa – Artie refused to drink caffeine at night - and settled back on the sofa, curling up as she waited for him to return. She was vaguely paying attention to the television, flicking through the channel, occasionally stopping on something for a few minutes when she came across a rerun of _Boy Meets World_. She was chuckling away to herself when Artie arrived back in the room.

"Should I be worried that you started laughing just when I got back?" he asked, grinning at her as he transferred himself back onto the sofa. Tina gave him a small kiss, then sprawled out, her head on his lap.

"No, just your usual weird timing. I was just thinking how like Cory and Topanga we turned out to be," she said. "You know, apart from the actually getting married while at college."

"Well, we got engaged there," Artie pointed out. "And let's not forget the whole 'let's date other people' thing in junior year."

Tina laughed. "Made you think, didn't it?" she said. "About what you wanted out of this relationship."

"Mmmm," was the quiet response as he reached down, running his fingers through her hair. The programme itself had paused, and there were the usual loud mass of commercials.

**'Looking for an experience like no other? Ever wondered what your loved ones, friends, family dream about?**

**Now is your chance to find out! Take your ultimate dream vacation today! No need to argue about where you want to go and what you want to do, we can provide the ultimate compromise, because you _can_ have the dream you both want.**

**Inter Somnia Technologies are leading the way in marketing the new breakthrough in dream technology. Using the state of the art PASIV machine, our facilities can allow you to enter a shared dream state, where you can find out just what your partner dreams about. Share weeks together in the space of a few real time hours. Bring yourselves closer together.**

**Call today to see what we can dream up for you!'**

Artie snorted. "Science fiction becomes science fact," he said. "I've heard all kinds of bad things about that technology."

Tina turned so she could look up at his face, the memory of her dream flooding back to her. "What, you wouldn't want to share a dream with me?" she asked, turning serious for a moment. "We could dance."

A flash of pain crossed Artie's face. Tina regretted mentioning dancing. On the whole, he'd accepted who he was, his limitations, and had found a decent job, married the woman he loved, coped well with bringing up two lively children. It was a very occasional wish that caught them both unawares. He smiled, focusing on Tina – not the 'hide the pain of the world being against you' smile that he'd used so often during high school, but a more genuine smile. "You know I'd love to dance with you," he said softly, stroking her hair. "To do things like walk along a sandy beach, to be able to make love to you whenever and wherever we wanted... but it's not going to happen. This is who I am, Tee. For better, for worse, and all that. No dream is going to change it." He suddenly gave a grin. "Besides, have you seen how much they charge? It's at least seven thousand a session. We'd never be able to afford it."

Tina moved upright, straddling his as she sat in his lap, kissing him. "I know. And who you are doesn't change how much I love you, Artie Abrams. It was just an idle thought."

"I know. And yes, I have thought about it – who wouldn't? But with the cost, and everything else... it's never going to happen. So we make the best of what we've got." He smirked, snaking a hand under her blouse, deftly unfastening her bra. Tina punched him in the shoulder playfully, before beginning to unfasten his shirt. "And what we've got is good."

* * *

Artie was fast asleep, one arm curled around Tina, but she couldn't sleep. She rested her head on his chest, just enjoying the sensation of skin against skin, listening to his breathing, but she can't get the memory of that dream out of her head. It was stupid, she knew, but if it gave Artie a chance to realize his dream, that was a good thing, right?

He was right, they could never afford it. They had made their decision years ago, when they decided to try for a baby. It had taken them two years, and a lot of fertility treatments (a combination of his condition, and problems with her as well), but they first had their beautiful son, Samuel, followed eighteen months later by Anna. And every time either of their children did anything, like smile up at them, expressions full of love, Tina knew every sacrifice they had made was worth it. Everything they had was tied up in their home, in the lives they cared for. It was all they'd ever wanted.

She shuffled closer to Artie, tightening her grip around him. He murmured in his sleep, before sighing and moving his other arm to lay it on hers. Tina smiled to herself, and snuggled down to sleep.

But she didn't dream.

* * *

"Tina?"

"Mom, hey. Long time no speak. How are you?"

"I'm okay, I think. How are my beautiful grandkids?"

"Too full of energy, into everything. I know, I'm sure you'll tell me I was just like that when I was younger. When are you and Dad coming to see us?"

"Soon, probably. Do you remember your Great-Aunt Emily?"

Tina frowned to herself, trying to place who her mother was talking about. "Was that the one who ran off with the toy boy forty years her junior?" she asked.

Tina mother laughed. "That's the one. Then she dumped him at the altar when she decided he was only after her money. As if we couldn't have told her that."

"Well, people who think they're in love..."

"Cute Tina. Anyway, she died three weeks ago."

"Awwww." Tina was genuinely sadden by the news. Emily was one of those fantastic relatives who are always good for a story. She'd been looking forward to introducing her kids properly to her when they were a bit older. "When's the funeral?"

"The day after tomorrow. Your dad and I are going to get a flight out to Oregon tonight."

"She settled in Oregon? I thought she was in California, something about better weather there?"

"Yeah, but that was Aunt Emily all over. Contrary. Anyway, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Oh?"

"She left you something in her will."

"Really? Oooo that necklace of hers? The really old cameo she inherited somewhere along the line? She said she might."

Tina could hear her mother laughing. "Good to know you never change with age. Yes, she left you that and..."

"And what? Mom?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"No. Should I be?"

"Considering she just left you seventy five thousand dollars in her will, probably."

Tina paused, sitting down heavily. It took a few seconds before she could speak again. "Wh-what? And couldn't you have waited until I actually sat down?"

"I thought you were."

"No, I wasn't... Mom, that's beside the point. Why would she leave me that? And ihow/i much?"

"Seventy five thousand dollars."

"That's... that's a lot of money, Mom." Tina didn't actually know what to say.

"I know! Isn't it amazing?"

"Why me?"

"Oh, come on, Tina. You were one of the few relatives who actually took the time to get to know her. Most of your cousins just heard the word money and they started seeing dollar signs."

"I'm not sure what that says about me, Mom," Tina laughed, started to take the news in properly. There was so much she and Artie could do with that money. Redecorate the kid's bedrooms, get a new van that was more comfortable for Artie, maybe even look at extending the house slightly... "Other than I'm a soft touch."

"That caring wins the day in the end. Aunt Emily had a long memory."

"Okay, so what do I need to do now?"

"Her lawyer will be in touch soon. Other than that, figure out what you are going to do with the money!"

* * *

Tina was still staring into space when Artie came home from work. "You okay, Tee?" he said, pausing in the doorway as Anna crawled into his lap to hug him.

"Daddy! Look!" Anna said, waving a piece of paper at Artie, trying to distract him. "Look what we did today!"

"What's that?" Artie replied, turning his attention from his wife to his daughter, though he frowned at Tina.

"That's me, dancing!" Anna said, pointing at the figure in the picture she'd drawn. "I want to be a dancer when I grow up!"

Tina's head snapped up, looking fearfully at Artie. This was the first time either of the kids had mentioned dance, and she wasn't sure how he would react. She didn't expect him to suddenly start laughing.

"Oh you do, do you? You know you have to practise for hours and hours? We can't even get you to do one thing for more than five minutes," he said, kissing Anna on the forehead.

"I will!" she said, scrambling down off of his lap and doing a twirl. "Look!"

Artie glanced over to Tina, and gave her a fond smile. "Looks like someone's decided what she wants to be when she grows up," he said.

"Yup," Tina replied, relieved at his response, and heading over to the pair, putting one hand on Artie's shoulder. "I think she'll make an awesome dancer, don't you?"

"Uh huh!" Anna said, nodding her head enthusiastically. "Mommy, Sadie takes ballet lessons, can I take them too?" Her words were rushed, and she gave her parents a pleading look. "Pleeease?"

Artie looked up at Tina, smiling. "What do you think, Mom?" he asked softly.

Tina's heart caught in her throat. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. Artie seemed okay with it "I think that if she promises to work at it, _and _pick up some of her toys after her, we'll think about it," she said. She couldn't help laugh at Anna's response, nodding so fast it must hurt her head. She skipped off, picking up the toys that she'd been playing with before Artie came home.

"Thank you," Tina said softly, bending down to kiss Artie's cheek.

"For what?"

"It's all she could talk about since she got home. I told her not to bother you as soon as you came in but..."

"Kids are kids. It's okay. If she wants to dance, give her the opportunity, right?"

Tina smiled before ruffling Artie's hair. "Yeah, but thank you."

Somehow, it didn't feel right to tell him about her phone call with her mother. Not yet. Not when Anna was calling for them. Sam had been in the family room, watching television, and a familiar song was playing, the background music to whatever he was watching, and Anna was dancing in circles, a huge smile crossing her face.

_Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you..._

Tina shook her head. She wasn't normally someone who remembered her dreams, so she couldn't understand why this one was bothering her so much. Maybe it was the dancing, or merely a longing to do with it. Or the song. It simply wouldn't leave her.

* * *

It was late, but Tina had too much nervous energy. She was pacing, a habit she could never quite get out of. Artie was sitting up on the bed, watching her.

"Tee, whatever it is, it can't be that bad. Unless you're pregnant again. Are you pregnant again? Not that I'd mind if you were, it's just given how hard it was on you to have Sam and Anna... Or is there another man?"

"Artie, hush," Tina said, moving to the bed and putting a finger across his mouth, silencing him. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her.

"So not pregnant? I don't mind trying..."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Down boy," she said, sitting down next to him. "Promise me you won't be mad?"

"So there is another man? I knew it." Tina knew Artie wasn't taking that comment seriously, not with the smirk that crossed his face.

"Will you be quiet for a minute?" Artie looked up at her, his eyes twinkling but he was quiet. "Do you remember my Great Aunt Emily?" At Artie's nod, she continued. "She died a few weeks ago, and left me something in her will."

"Are you okay?" Artie asked, concerned. He reached up, cupping her cheek. "You should have told me."

"Mom didn't tell me till a few days ago, and, well, until I was sure, I didn't want to say anything, but I talked to Aunt Emily's lawyer today."

"Lawyer? She left you something in her will?"

"Yeah, and it came as a bit of a shock," Tina replied, finally sitting down. "She left me some money."

"So you're buying when we go out for dinner tomorrow," Artie said, watching Tina for signs of distress. "this is a good thing, right? Well, other than your aunt dying, of course. But you'll be able to do what you want with it."

Tina smiled. "You know, thank you for not assuming that we'd spend it together, even though I know we will."

"She's your relative, not mine. I wouldn't ever presume. Just how much did she leave you?"

"A lot. More than I ever thought I would get," Tina said. "And... I did something."

"Oh?"

She looked away for a minute. "She left me seventy five thousand dollars, Artie."

Artie's eyes went wide. "Seventy five _thousand_? That's... wow." He squinted up at her. "So, why the nerves? That amount wouldn't have you pacing around like that."

She sighed. "I've set some of it aside for something... for us. Well, for an anniversary present for you."

"Which isn't for four months. But you shouldn't have, really." He grinned at her. "Do I get to know in advance?"

Tina chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. "I've booked us one of those shared dream experiences in New York," she said, avoiding looking at him while the words tumbled out. Artie didn't speak, and Tina eventually looked towards him. His face was a myriad of emotions, and she didn't know what to make of it. "Say something please, Artie."

"Is this what you really want?" Artie asked after another minute had passed.

"Yes," she said, sitting beside him, taking both of this hands in hers. "Artie. I know what your dream was, and how you've never really given it up, even though you're focusing on the ones that you can make come true. My research couldn't help you back in high school, no matter how much I wanted it to, but this is the closest I can come to giving you that dream. I want to do this for you, and to be able to share in it, even slightly? It would mean the world to me."

Artie watched Tina for a moment, the only sign he gave about what he was feeling was how tightly he was gripping her hands. Just when Tina was going to ask him to say something again, even if it was just no, he smiled gently. "In that case, how can I refuse?" he said. "But I'd rather you spent your money on you."

"I want this, Artie. I want it so much."

* * *

"Mr and Mrs Abrams?" Both of them looked up as a woman walked over to them, smiling. "Would you like to follow me?" Tina stood up, pushing Artie carefully through the bland offices. She had a fleeting reminder of all the times they had seen doctors when discussing their options after she had failed to fall pregnant. They went into an office, the door being discreetly shut behind them.

"Welcome to Inter Somnia Technologies. I could give you the whole sales spiel, but I see that's unnecessary. I'd rather give you basic information and answer any questions. I'm Dr Harris, and I'm one of the specialists in constructing dream scenarios. Now, Mrs Abrams, I know you forwarded me information about what you would like to be in your shared dream, but what I need to know is if there is anything you want specifically, Mr Abrams. Our architect has worked with your wife in creating the basic dream, but there are always details which can be added in. We've found the experience works better and is far more satisfying if you both contribute. The dream can easily be altered before tomorrow."

Artie looked at Tina, an eyebrow raised. "You set it all up?" he said quietly.

Tina smiled back at him. "I guess it's down to how much you trust me, Abrams," she said smirking, not letting go of his gaze.

"Like I have a choice, woman," he muttered, but Tina could tell by his smile it was half-hearted at best. Artie turned back his attention to Dr Harris. "No, whatever Tina has set up will be fine. It's not like we've kept our dreams from each other over the years."

Dr Harris nodded. "Good. The level of communication you two obviously have makes it easier all round. So, now it's down to explaining the process. We will use a mild sedative to put you under when you enter the shared dream. It's perfectly safe, has been tested thoroughly, approved by the FDA, and is based on a compound which has been used in the medical industry for years. When you're under, you will notice things might be strange at first."

"Strange how?" Tina asked, glancing at Artie.

"Think back to the dreams you can remember having. Do you ever remember the start of them?" She paused for a moment as both Tina and Artie shook their heads. "Because you are unused to the experience of sharing dreams, it will take you a few moments to orient yourselves within the dream, but that's perfectly normal. It won't take too long. Once you are in the dream, you won't notice it, but time will move differently for you. What is five minutes in the real world will be an hour within the dream. You have booked a seventy five minute session..."

"So it will be, what, fifteen hours in the dream?" Artie said, calculating rapidly. "That's impressive."

"Yes. That's the maximum time we recommend for first time users of users of our technology. We set very strict limits on how long people can use the pasiv machine, as per government proscribed guidelines."

Artie looked over at Tina for a long moment, then back to Dr Harris. "Doctor, can I ask you something... specific?" he said, almost hesitantly.

Dr Harris looked at him for a moment. "You mean about your disability?" she asked, smiling at him. Artie nodded in response. "It's entirely up to you. It's your dream, after all. Can you walk normally? The altered physics of the dream world state say that yes, you will be able to walk. The choice is up to you though. We have had a number of people with similar conditions through here. Some of them choose to stay as they are within the dream, but the vast majority don't, and we've had very complimentary comments about what they can feel in the dreams. In the end, though, we can't make that decision for you, but I can tell you that those that have chosen to be fully functional in the dreams don't regret it. I suggest that you and Mrs Abrams talk it over tonight. We can make final adjustments tomorrow before you actually go under."

* * *

Artie and Tina ate their evening meal in a nearby restaurant in relative silence. Any talk between them was of inconsequentialities - how they thought the children were coping staying with Artie's parents, work, friends, whether they should call Kurt while they were here... The topic that they knew they had to discuss was like the elephant in the room. No way they were talking about it there.

Tina softly suggested a walk after dinner, which is how they found themselves in Central Park, with the sun lowering. Tina had taken her usual place pushing Artie's wheelchair when he pointed at a bench. "How about there?" he said softly. Tina hummed in agreement, and moved over to the bench, parking Artie's chair beside it, and sitting next to him, taking his hand. "I'm sorry," she said suddenly.

"For what?" Artie frowned at her, tightening his grip on his hand.

"I should have realized this would be hard on you."

"Tee, it's ok. When we first talked about it, and agreed to do it, I knew that it was something I was going to have to face sooner or later. I just kept putting it off."

"And now?"

Artie looked at her. "You've worked too hard on this," he said, smiling, as he echoed the words he'd spoken back in high school. "I'm not going to spoil it for you, and, yeah, I want it. The chance to spend time with my wife, as close to normal as we ever get? Not that I'm saying we're normal."

"Nerd."

"Dork."

"Geek in sweater vests." The familiar banter reassured Tina. "And I love it, I know. Look, Artie. I just want to say that I'm not going to be disappointed whatever you choose. We're here in New York, away from the kids, celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary. Life's good no matter what."

"I know. And... I'm scared about it, but yeah. I'll do it."

Tina couldn't help the tiny part of her that wondered if he was doing it purely for her, but she pushed that thought to one side, leaning into him and kissing him. "There's nothing to be scared of," she murmured. "I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you."


	2. Chapter 2

The piece of music referenced in this chapter is from Mozart's opera, Cosi Fan Tutte. The aria is 'Soave sia il vento' (it's easy to find on youtube)

Translation into English is: May the wind be gentle, may the waves be calm, and may every one of the elements, warmly fulfil our wishes.

* * *

_She realized that instead of sitting in a clinic, she was sitting in front of a mirror, brushing her hair. She couldn't help but pause, wondering. "Is this...?" she started, before spotting the reflection of her husband sitting on the bed in the mirror._

_"I don't know," he said, looking round. "The doctor said we would suddenly gain awareness, right?"_

_"Which this seems to be," she replied, standing up to move and sit beside him. "I don't remember getting here."_

_"Is this how you and the architect worked it out?" he asked, then frowned as he saw her expression. "What?"_

_"You know, we could just... test it out."_

_"Test it out?" he said, bemused. "Oh. That. Just like that?"_

_"Uh huh," she said, standing in front of him, holding her hands out. "Just like this."_

_He bit on his bottom lip nervously before taking her hands and pulling her down beside him again. "No, like this," he said, quietly. "If this works, I want to be able to _feel_ you before anything else." He kissed her right hand briefly, before moving it down to rest on his leg. She could feel the muscle shudder underneath her hand and gasped, before pouncing on him, pushing him down onto the bed, kissing him fiercely. She moaned sightly as he rolled her over, literally crawling over her._

_"I guess it's worked then?" she giggled, before sobering as she saw his expression. The only time she had seen so much emotion on him was when he first held their son after so long trying for a child, when it didn't matter about the wheelchair, or anything else that might label him, because in that moment he was defined by one thing - fatherhood, the co-creator of the tiny bundle of flesh and blood that stared back up at him. She had cried at the sight, and she was having a hard time fighting back tears now. She reached up, touching him gently on the cheek, trying to reassure him._

_He stared at her for a moment, before brushing a stray tear away from her eyes with a tender touch. "Thank you," he whispered. "I... I guess..."_

_She pressed a finger to his lips, stopping him from speaking. "Shhhh," she said. "Thank you's later. Fun times now."_

_He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting for control of his emotions. When he opened them again, he grinned at her. "Got anything in mind?" he asked, before bending down and kissing her neck. She arched up into his touch._

_"You... are distracting me, Arthur Abrams," she laughed. "We have lunch reservations. I planned it, remember?"_

_"Mmmm. Half an hour late won't be a problem, will it?" he replied, smirking as he began moving a hand up her thigh, pausing at the hem of her dress. "Or would could just skip lunch altogether..."_

_"I swear to god, you have a one track mind at times," she laughed, beginning to unbutton his shirt. _

_"I don't hear you complaining about it," he said. "Besides, I'm supposed to be experiencing the full gamut of sensations here. Why not start by comparing something I know well?"_

_"Don't you think they might notice we're..."_

_"We're what?"_

_"You know!"_

_He couldn't help laugh. "Boning? Having sex? Making love? I think it's okay, Tina, they are kind of expecting it. Besides, we're dreaming. The worst they are going to see is our heart rates going up"_

_"Well, that and your..." she began delicately _

_"Okay, so that might happen, but honestly? They are expecting it. It's our dreams. Why would you set us up in a hotel room if we weren't going to do it?"_

_"Artie?"_

_"What?"_

_"Hush." She decided to quieten him down, and used the fastest method she could think of. She palmed him through his pants, but was unprepared for the shuddering gasp he gave. "Artie?"_

_"I..." He swallowed, trying to regain some control, but Tina could feel where he'd gone hard under her touch. She continued to gently stroke him. "I can remember walking, running, dancing and the like from before the accident, but this? This is new."_

_"And?"_

_"And suddenly the thought of me doing all the work is very, very appealing," he said, grinning wickedly._

_

* * *

_

_She led them to a small restaurant, away from the main hustle and bustle of the city, marvelling at the fact that she could happily walk alongside her husband, holding his hand. There had been a moment, when he first stood upright, where they had both cried, just a little. The momentary disbelief that he could really do this, the wonder at him being just that little bit taller than her - something they had already known even from high school days, from sleeping next to each other every day for over ten years, but this? This was far more than that. This was the ability he had to wrap his arms around her, and pull her close to him, tucking her head on his shoulder, fitting like it was always supposed to be like that._

_Occasionally she looked over at him in sheer wonderment. It was like something had vanished from him, a mask she hadn't even realized that he was wearing had dropped away, leaving the vibrant, strong, confident person she'd always knew was in there out in the open for all to see. Something twinged inside her momentarily, but she pushed it away. This was beautiful. This was perfect. This was just for them._

_The restaurant was a small, out of the way place. The waitress led the couple to a private booth set to one side, set two menus down while smiling at them, then headed away. He turned to her, taking her hand and entwining their fingers together. "I like it. Not many people here, so we can do what we want."_

_"Behave yourself," she grinned back at him._

_"I like the outfit you've dreamed up for me," he said randomly, glancing down at himself. Dark blue slacks, a matching shirt and thin black suspenders. "Close enough to normal, but..."_

_"Less nerdy?"_

_"Are you trying to tell me something?" he asked laughing._

_"No, I kind of like the nerd look," she grinned. "I fell in love with you despite it." She grinned at his protest. "It's just nice to see you out of it once in a while."_

_"No, that was earlier, I'm pretty sure of it," he said, laughing slightly. "But you look absolutely beautiful."_

_"Flatterer," she said, though she was blushing._

_"Do I get to know what else you've planned for us?" he asked. She was about to say something when she was distracted. He had moved his foot, wrapping his leg around hers. She could feel the warmth, the life of it seeping through, energizing her as much as it was him._

_"You are a dangerous man, Mr Abrams," she murmured, leaning into him. "You take far too much pleasure in distracting my chain of thought."_

_"Nothing really new there, Tina," he pointed out. "Remember last Glee Reunion?"_

_"Where you encouraged me to have sex with you in the choir room 'once more, for the memory of it'?" she said, laughing. "All it took were a few words, and a smile. Like I said. Dangerous. And for that, no, you're not getting to find out. Decide what you want to eat, you'll find out later."_

_He looked at her, pouting. "You're no fun, woman," he said, smiling at her, then taking her hand. "Tee, thank you for this. So much. I know I was all funny about it, but now I'm here... well, it's just perfect."_

_She smiled softly at him. "It's okay. I was worried about it, but now we're here? It is perfect." She leaned in and kissed him._

_"I could stay here forever," he murmured against her lips._

_

* * *

_

_The afternoon involved them walking slowly through Central Park, walking close to each other. It had taken him almost no time to get used to walking again, a fact he put down to having dreamed about it a lot. She couldn't help the smug look she gave as he told her once again that this was perfect, that he could never have come up with this dream on his own, that he would cherish these moments forever, that he wished he could stay here forever._

_"Are you trying to make me fat, woman?" he asked as they finished eating their evening meal, leaning back against his chair._

_She couldn't help giggling. "I don't know where you put it all anyway," she said. "I've never seen anyone that eats like you and stays slim. Besides, can you even grow fat from food in a dream?"_

_"I dunno. It's up there with questions like can you get pregnant if you have sex in one?" he asked, suddenly grinning at her, then laughing as she started blushing._

_"Artie!" She shook her head, wishing her hair would cover her face. "Some things never change, even after ten years of marriage," she laughed. _

_"So what now, woman?" he asked, standing up as she did, bouncing up and down slightly on the spot. "That will never get old."_

_"Next is the whole point of this trip," she said almost shyly. He cocked his head as he looked at her, putting her shawl over her shoulders before they stepped outside. The air was cool, not cold, but enough that she shivered slightly._

_"Okay, where to then?"_

_She couldn't help but smile at him as she kissed him, then tugged his hand. "Trust me."_

_

* * *

_

_The building she led them too was close by, nondescript from the outside. "Close your eyes," she murmured at him, one hand on the door. He raised an eyebrow at her, but complied. She carefully led him along a corridor._

_"I hear music," he said suddenly, though he kept his eyes shut. "And people."_

_"Mmmhmm," she agreed, and opened a door. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."_

_He did so, gasping slightly at the sight. "A dance hall?" he said, his eyes wide as he took in the room. There were around fifty people there, some sitting, some dancing. "You created a dance hall?"_

_She smiled brightly as she took in his expression. "I suppose you could say it was selfish," she said quietly. "I remembered back to high school, your dream, and how much I wanted to dance with you. When this became a reality... it was the only thing I wanted us to do. Together."_

_He turned to her, cupping her face in both of his hands. She could see tears shining in his eyes. "This... this is just perfect, love," he said. "Perfect."_

_They were led to an empty table, champagne brought over to them. They sat in silence for a few moments, drinking in the atmosphere before a very familiar song started to play. He smiled at the memory, then looked up as she stood, holding out a hand. "Arthur John Abrams, will you dance with me?"_

_He didn't speak, merely standing up and leading her onto the dance floor, pulling her close as they started dancing. She just let the whole sensation wash over her. She'd been able to fulfill his dream, the one he'd finally admitted to her all those years ago. It had taken her nearly twenty years, but she'd done it. She shuddered slightly as he bent his head close to her, and started singing in her ear._

_Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you_  
_Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you  
_

_"Thank you," he whispered again when the song was over. "To be normal again... It's all I ever wanted. I could stay here forever. I'm sorry I was so negative about it in the first place."_

_She shushed him again. "No. No sadness tonight. You and me are going to dance, then when we are done here, with the couple of hours we have left, you and I are going back to our hotel room, and you are going to make love to me."_

_"Am I indeed?" he laughed._

_"Yup. Time to put those upper body muscles of yours to good use."_

_

* * *

_

_All good things must come to an end, she thought to herself as the music she had chosen as the warning music began playing, her favorite aria, _Soave sia il vento_. An unusual choice, maybe, but when she'd seen the translation for the aria, she knew it was perfect. The pair of them were lying on the bed, tangled up in each other. They were taking simple pleasure from the fact he could entwine his legs with hers. "It's beautiful," he murmured, listening to the music._

_"One of the most amazing things Mozart ever wrote," she agreed._

_"When did you become an opera nerd?" he asked._

_"Heard a few at college, and it stuck with me," she said, then fell silent._

_"How long?" he asked, holding her tighter to him._

_"Ten minutes," she replied, nuzzling along his jawline._

_He was silent for a long time, so long that she looked at him curiously. When he returned her look, it seemed that every cliché she'd ever heard about heart sinking, stomach leaping and all the others happened in that instant. She knew what he was going to say, and that this time he truly meant it._

_"I want to stay here forever, Tee."_

_"Artie..."_

_He buried his head against her shoulder, trembling slightly. "How can I go back, knowing what it's like? It's not the dancing, it's the whole thing. How you make me feel, how it feels to be able to do something as simple as this. The kids? I could run with the kids, teach them how to kick a ball like my dad did, pick them up properly when they need me to." He was crying, she could feel it even without looking at his face. All she could do was hold him close, try to soothe him. He wasn't normally one to give into his emotions quite like this - he rarely cried. She stroked his hair, whispering what she hoped were soothing words to him, willing for the dream to end._

_

* * *

_

Tina blinked, slowly coming back to the present. The music had stopped, the dream was over, they were awake again. She lay there, looking up at the sterile ceiling of the clinic, focusing, trying to work out what had just happened. A noise to her right brought her out of her reverie.

It was barely there, but she knew it. The sound of Artie crying.

She turned to look at her husband. He had obviously sat upright as soon as he'd regained awareness after the dream, and was now curled in on himself, in distress. He hated crying in public, but it seemed as if he couldn't help himself.

She couldn't help but wonder if she'd made a huge mistake in setting this up.

She couldn't believe they had only been asleep for such a short time. Less than two hours, and yet it felt so long when they were there. As they got a cab back to their hotel, Tina couldn't help reflect on what had happened. Artie was withdrawn as they travelled. She asked a couple of questions, trying to figure out how he was, but he just gave short answers, and wouldn't initiate conversation. When they got back to the hotel, after Tina closed the door behind them, she watched silently as Artie transferred himself to the bed, for the first time in years looking self-conscious as he did it. She turned away, not wanting to watch him, or offer to help, even though the different height to what he was used to made it awkward. She merely went into the bathroom for a moment, trying to calm her emotions. Glancing around, she was made more aware of Artie's status, as the fittings in the handicapable bathroom rammed it home for her.

Listening carefully, she heard the sounds of the television being turned on, so she glanced at herself in the mirror one more time, before heading out into the main room. Artie looked up at her as she sat on the bed, watching him. He turned the television off, and gave her a weak smile.

"Artie..." Tina began, taking his hand. "We should talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about, Tina," was Artie's reply. No bitterness, no edge, just a weariness in his voice. "It was a dream, it was amazing, it's over now. End of story."

"Artie, please."

"Really, there is nothing to talk about. Even if I could go back, we both know it's not real, we have responsibilities in the real world. Therefore, I don't want to talk about it. How about we get on with the rest of our lives?"

Tina watched Artie, nodding slightly, though she wasn't convinced. She knew Artie, she knew his hopes and dreams. Swallowing slightly, she leaned over and kissed him, not really surprised that he took a second to return her kiss.

* * *

After they returned home, life seemed to settle back into a rhythm quickly. With both of them in full time jobs and having two lively, active children, there wasn't a lot else they could do. It therefore took Tina a couple of months to realize that something was wrong. It wasn't anything specific, just a general malaise in Artie. Unless it was with the children, or work, or her (and mostly in that order), he just didn't want to get involved. When she looked at him, it was as if something had died within him the day of the shared dream. They missed a glee reunion, much to the disgust and horror of Kurt and Mercedes. Tina lied, saying that Artie wasn't well, and that she didn't want to leave him. Not that huge of a lie, really. She had to work to even get him to attend Sam's first school concert.

Tina got Artie's parents involved and the three of them took nearly six months to persuade him to see a doctor. Anti-depressants was the answer, it was decided. Enough to just get him back under some kind of control, to give him a chance to gain him interest in life again.

And it worked, or so it seemed. He gained interest in things again. He voluntarily went to Anna's nativity play, where she was playing an angel. He even went out for dates with Tina. But he also started working odd hours, coming home late, business meetings that took him out of town overnight. Tina began to suspect the worst, but she daren't confront him about it, for fear it would tip him over the edge again. So she suffered in silence, terrified that the thing that had given him a renewed interest in life was an affair. As Artie grew in confidence again, she withdrew into herself.

One day he didn't come home.

She didn't realize until late in the evening that she hadn't heard from him all day. She'd sent a couple of texts, but had no response. That wasn't unusual, but when she sent a text, and didn't get a message received pingback, she started to worry, and rang him.

_'This cell phone is out of service.'_

It took her two hours of pacing and several cups of coffee to get the courage to ring his parents, to try and find out if they had heard from him. Artie's mother immediately got in her car and drove to Columbus to come to help her out, Tina's mother coming with her. They set out to check every spot they could think Artie would be, a task that went well into the next day.

The forty-eight hours until Tina could file a missing person's report were the longest in her life. It didn't stop her from ringing up the police station, hospitals, everywhere she could think of in the meantime. Artie's work told her that he'd run in sick the day he vanished, but they hadn't been worried. Apparently he had been pulling extra shifts, claiming he needed extra money, and had been working away when he'd said he was, so an affair was looking increasingly unlikely.

Anna and Sam picked up that something was wrong, but Tina's parents were happy to look after them, leaving the three Abrams adults to search for him.

Nothing.

The police told her that given her initial suspicions, it was likely that Artie had been having an affair, and simply decided to create a new life for himself. They would do a search, see if there was any activity on his bank account, credit card, etc, but the chances were that he wasn't missing, just choosing not to be found.

Tina decided that she wasn't responsible for the language she used when she yelled at the officer dealing with her case.

* * *

Three days later, when Artie's cell phone was found in the Park of Roses, Tina didn't know what to think. It was an odd place for it to be found, but there were no signs of any foul play, so after minor interest from the police, Tina was left to wonder, and wait.

Hours quickly turned into days, then weeks, and before she knew it, three months had gone. Then six. Then twelve. She commemorated the anniversary of her husband's disappearance with Kurt and Mercedes keeping her company, ice-cream, and a whole lot of vodka, hoping to blank out the day. The worst moment came when she wandered into the kitchen, where the radio was playing, and a very familiar tune began playing.

_Stars shining bright above you_  
_Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you" _

She couldn't help throwing the radio across the kitchen.


	3. Chapter 3

And here is the final part. It's been huge fun writing this, even if it was a difficult fic to write. I hope it fills what you wanted, gigundoly! Reviews/comments are love.

The information about the PASIV machines I didn't make up, I just happen to have the shooting script for Inception (did I mention I was obsessed with the film even before this prompt?) and there was a faux-manual for the journal in it.

Disclaimer for the story: Glee isn't owned by me, but by Fox and Ryan Murphy productions. Inception is owned by Warner Bros and Christopher Nolan. I'm just playing in the sandbox.

* * *

Two months later, and Anna had taken to playing up at school, leading to the third conference in as many months with her grade teacher and principal. Anna was sullenly silent on the drive home. "How about pizza for dinner, sweetie?" Tina asked, smiling at her in the rear-view mirror, hoping to get her to react to something.

"Whatever," Anna replied. "Pepperoni, though. Daddy's favorite." She'd taken the whole situation with Artie's disappearance far harder than Sam, who seemed to adapt, doing his best to look after Anna, and behave like a model child to help out. Tina was grateful - the days mostly were getting easier, but it was on days like this that all she wanted to do was run away and hide from the world.

"Pepperoni, sure," she replied, trying to keep her voice level as she turned into the street where they lived. She frowned as she saw a car parked outside of their house. "Anna, sweetie, I need you to go inside to your room when we get in, okay? Just for a little while." She was fighting the panic building up inside of her. That car was no good, she thought to herself.

"Mom?" Anna whined.

"Please, sweetie."

"Okay." For once, Anna's reluctance to do much of anything was a blessing. Tina willed her hands not to shake as she pulled into the drive, glancing back at the parked car as she helped Anna out of the back seat. Everything changed as she saw who was getting out of the car.

"Shaft?" she exclaimed, recognizing the familiar form of Matt Rutherford. She opened the door, letting Anna in with a swift 'behave', before going to meet her former Glee colleague, pulling him into a hug.

"Asian," Matt replied, lifting her off of the ground as he returned the embrace. "Looking good there."

"So are you. It's been what, seven years since we last saw you?"

"Eight, but who's counting?" Matt replied, releasing her, then looking down at her. "You haven't changed a bit. Well, apart from the lack of color in the hair."

"Yeah, right," Tina snorted. "Older, definitely. I'd like to say wiser, but I don't think that'll ever happen." She couldn't help the hint of sadness that crept into her voice. The guilt she felt over Artie's disappearance would never leave her. Mentally, she shook herself. Now wasn't the time. "So what are you doing back in Ohio? At least it's not Lima, right?"

Matt gave her an odd smile. "Work, actually. Normally I'm based in New York, but I'm needed over here for a few days. Thought I'd catch up on a few people. I saw Puck and Quinn yesterday."

"Really? How are they?" Tina asked, leading the way into the house. "It's been a while since I've contacted anyone."

Matt followed her through into the kitchen, looking around. "They're fine. Worried, though."

"About what?" It was all Tina could do to keep the casual tone in her voice. Ever since Artie disappeared, she'd deliberately withdrawn from everyone she used to know, apart from Kurt and Mercedes, and they were under strict instructions not to tell anyone. She didn't want to have to explain what happened - especially when she didn't know herself.

"You," Matt said, looking at her carefully, then shrugging. "News gets around fast, Tina, especially in somewhere like Lima. They've left you alone for now, just as you wanted, but they are worried as hell."

Tina stared at Matt for a moment. "You know, that might be the most I've ever heard you say at once," she said weakly, before slumping into a chair. "I couldn't tell them. How the hell do you say 'Hi how are you, Artie vanished a year ago without a trace, and I don't even know if he's alive or dead. Oh, by the way, nice dress'."

Matt took a step closer to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You'd be surprised how easily they get it," he said. "They care."

Tina couldn't help the tears that suddenly overwhelmed her. For the last year she'd done her best to hold herself together for the sake of her - _their_ children, but all of the worry, grief and anger suddenly came flooding out. She collapsed against Matt, sobbing. All he could do was murmur soothing words in her ear, stroke her back and let her cry it out.

* * *

Half an hour later, Matt had made them both a hot drink, and Tina was sitting in the lounge. "I'm sorry, " Tina said, taking the drink from him. "I..."

"You needed it," Matt pointed out, sitting opposite her. "Though..."

"Though what?" Tina asked, frowning as she looked at him. "What?"

Matt took a deep breath. "You know how I said I was here for work?" Tina nodded, all the sensations that she'd felt at the sight of the car parked outside coming back. "I work for the DEA."

"You? Government?" Tina said in surprise. "Who'd have thought it?"

"Certainly wouldn't have thought it back in high school, anyway," Matt confessed with a small smile. "But it's a good job."

"So, what does it have to do with why you're here?"

"It's what I've been investigating lately. Look, Tina, I know what I'm going to say will upset you, but bear with me please." Tina nodded warily, though she was confused. "You went to one of those dream clinics a couple of years ago, didn't you?"

"Yeah. How did you know that?"

"The DEA has been involved with slowly closing them down."

"What?" Tina sat bolt upright. "Why the hell has the DEA been closing them down? I would have thought it would have been big news, but I haven't heard anything."

"After their first year of operation, the cost put most people off." Matt explained. "A lot of them simply couldn't afford to keep running. That and the fact that problems were developing - problems with they obviously wanted to keep quiet. You had one of the highly structured programs, didn't you?"

Tina nodded. "I worked with one of their architects for two days, getting thing just right," she said, remembering back. "It wasn't even that complicated a dream, but they wanted to be sure."

"You were lucky. You actually chose one of the good ones to visit."

"Matt. I don't understand. What the hell is going on?" Tina didn't know whether to be angry or upset.

"There were problems with the PASIV machines," Matt said. "Well, the machines and the somnacin drugs used to put people under. In a small number of cases it triggered rapid addictions. For most people it took multiple usage for the addiction to begin, but patterns indicate a high number of addictions to somnacin from just one usage in certain groups of people - generally those who had some kind of problem beforehand. Mental illnesses - a number of people with the likes of eating disorders became addicted quickly because they wanted to remain with their vision of perfection."

Tina felt herself go cold. What Matt wasn't actually saying hit her. "And also people with physical disabilities, right? Especially if they gained a sense of normality when dreaming," she said with growing horror. "I... I just remember how Artie said that he didn't want to leave. Oh god..." She suddenly stood up, then ran to the bathroom where she was violently sick.

It took her nearly ten minutes to pull herself back together, and she slowly walked back into the lounge. She'd caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror before she left the bathroom - eyes red, cheeks tear-stained, hair all over the place. She didn't care. Matt had stayed in the lounge and was looking at a display of pictures of Sam and Anna that Tina had on the wall. He gave her a sympathetic smile as she came back into the room.

"Okay, Matt. You need to tell me what the hell is going on, and just what it has to do with my husband, because at the moment I don't know why you're here," Tina said, trying to stay calm.

Matt nodded and pointed to a seat. "I'll need to give you some background first, though. Stay with me, Tina. I can explain a lot of it, but I'll warn you, it's not pretty." He remained standing as Tina sat down. "We first realized the problems with the machines when someone in the depths of Washington did a study, and uncovered a link to an increased number of suicides. No one quite who's responsibility the PASIV machine was - it was new technology, after all, so they dumped looking at the clinics into the DEA's lap, and I was assigned to the task force to look into it. After the military had tested it initially, it was deemed safe enough for public use, hence all the clinics offering the ultimate dream vacation. But a military mind set, especially those that used the PASIV machines, isn't the same as the mind set of normal members of the public. It started with some ex-military members who used it - there was a sudden increase in violence against family members, friends, colleagues. About ten months after the clinics came into being, we started to notice the same pattern emerging in the normal public who'd used it."

Tina drew in a sharp breath. "But Artie wasn't violent," she said, confused.

"The violence was just one way that people could react. The others tended with withdraw from basically everything. How was he just after the visit?"

"Withdrawn," Tina nodded in confirmation. "He wouldn't interact with pretty anyone outside of the family - only Anna or Sam, our kids, could bring him out of it. After about three months, I persuaded him to see a doctor. He went on anti-depressants, and they seemed to help, at least for a while. Then..." She paused, unsure how to go on.

"Then?" Matt encouraged.

"He was more himself, but distracted. He started working later, then business trips away on short notice." She brushed some tears away. "I thought he might be having an affair," she said quietly. "Then one day - he was just gone. Didn't come home, just utterly vanished. We filed a missing persons report, but the police seemed to think that yes, he was probably having an affair, and just left to start a new life, even though his work confirmed he was working away when he said he was. They only did a basic investigation, and that was fifteen months ago."

Matt nodded slowly. "Consistent," he said.

"Consistent with what?"

"The DEA has set up the task force not only to look at the clinics, but the underground that's sprung up around them. With only a little effort they could build the PASIV machine, offer a similar experience to what they'd had. Feed the addiction."

Tina frowned. "But surely that wouldn't be cheap? I mean from what I've seen on TV about that kind of thing..."

Matt smiled. "Don't believe everything you see on TV, Tina." He suddenly went serious. "But you're right, it isn't cheap." He walked over to the briefcase he'd left behind in a corner of the lounge, opening it up. "Tina, I'm not sure what you've been told by anyone like the police."

Tina started to speak, but the words caught in her throat. "Matt? What do you know? You know what's happened to Artie, don't you?" Matt was still for a moment, then nodded. "Why the hell didn't anyone contact me? Tina was edging towards hysterical now, her voice rising. "He's my husband!"

"Because it's my case, and I wanted to make sure I knew everything before I came to see you." Matt was calm, and it helped Tina regain control. "Okay. Two weeks ago, we got the go ahead to organize a raid on a warehouse where we believed there to be illegal dream machines being used. When we got there, we found the machines, and thirty individuals, all linked up to them."

"Thirty? And how many machines?" Tina asked, horrified. The very thought of it...

"Four machines, all of them spread out between them."

"So... utter strangers were sharing dreams? And this included Artie?" Matt didn't answer for a moment, then nodded.

"I recognized him, of course. Not many small nerds like him in a wheelchair, but yes, he was there. From what you've said, the extra work he was ding before he vanished was to pay for it"

Tina choked back a sob. "But... he's ok, right?"

"Remember when I said that your dream was from one of the better clinics?" Matt said, waiting for Tina's nod. "You worked with an architect, creating a very specific dream. Now, part of the reason we discovered the problem with the machines is that it was discovered there can be several layers to dreams. That's fine if they are structured. Your dream was on the first level, easy to control, time moves at a relatively normal speed, every hour in the dream is just five minutes in reality. But as you move into the lower levels, time moves even more slowly, so every five minutes was now the equivalent of a day, a week... The worst was when we discovered something else. Limbo. It was something outside anything we'd seen before. Completely unstructured dreamspace. Time flows completely differently there. A few moments can seem like months. People were building their own worlds, based on their own memories, which can cause problems. They don't know what to hold back, what to allow in. Psyches can be scary places." He sighed. "Those who have been in Limbo... they generally don't come out the same as they went in. Not after mentally spending years there."

Tina brought her knees up, hugging her arms around them. "You're saying that Artie was in Limbo... and he's changed?" she said eventually.

"Tina, I think you need to come with me to New York, see for yourself, though I should warn you, it's not going to be easy for you."

"Matt, I've spend the last fifteen months trying to figure out what the hell happened to Artie. Any answer is better than none, trust me."

* * *

Tina hadn't told Artie's parents much about what was going on, just that she was following up a lead she'd been given. They'd been happy to take the children for a few days, and now she was sat on a plane to New York - somewhere she never thought she'd go back to. As she and Matt walked through the arrivals hall at the airport she was suddenly grateful for his presence. He'd talked more than he ever did at high school, but only when it was necessary. Him being there made this whole experience that little bit easier.

Matt talked to another agent who was waiting for them, who picked up Tina's luggage. "He'll take it to your hotel," he said, before leading Tina outside to a waiting car. Tina spent the car journey looking out of the window. New York seemed so different from the last time she was here. More oppressive. She shuddered slightly, knowing it was all in her own mind, but couldn't shake it off. Matt reached over and squeezed her hand gently. "This is going to be difficult, Tina. Are you sure you really want to do it straight away?"

"Yes. I have to know."

Matt nodded. "Just don't expect him to be as you remember him."

* * *

Hospitals were the same no matter where they were, but this... this seemed worse than normal. Tina silently followed Matt, trying to focus on only looking ahead. There were too many people there, too many sick people. After an elevator ride, they exited into another corridor, the only difference here was the way it was set up.

"Some of the money we've confiscated from these businesses go into looking after the people we've found attached to the machines," he explained. "This floor is pretty much only those we've pulled out of them."

"So many..." Tina said quietly.

"Yeah. In many ways, Artie is one of the lucky ones. We actually know who he is. So many of them are simply Jane and John Doe's." Matt led the way, and stopped outside a room. He talked briefly to the nurse who had just come out of it, then looked at Tina. "Ready?"

Tina gave him a wry smile. "No, not really, but I guess I'll never be truly ready, so let's get this over with." She moved past Matt, heading into the room, but stopped just inside it, getting her first glimpse of her husband for over a year.

Artie had always been slight, but for some reason he seemed even smaller now, as if the hospital bed was too big for him. Tina could tell at a glance that the upper body strength he'd built up from pushing himself around for most of his life had gone, the muscles wasted through inactivity. His eyes were closed, his skin paler than normal, hair longer than she had ever seen it, and lank against his head. "Oh, Artie." She moved to the bedside, stroking his hair, then reaching for his hand. It was clasped tightly around something, and she glanced at Matt and the nurse who were hovering around the doorway.

"He's been holding it tightly ever since he was brought in," the nurse explained. "It's a necklace he had on him, something that he managed to keep hold of."

She nodded. "A dragon?" she suggested. When the nurse nodded, she closed her eyes. "Anna and Sam gave it to him for Christmas just before he disappeared."

Matt smiled slightly. "That's good. Considering what he's been through, for him to recognize something, to hold onto it... that's more than most people in this situation can do."

"Will he wake up?" Tina asked, back to brushing his hair back.

"He probably is awake," the nurse said. "He just... can't come out of where he is." Tina glanced up at her, confused. "Mrs Abrams, at best guess when he was found, he'd been in the machine three or so days. Which means that in Limbo, he went through nearly a whole lifetime. We don't know how many times he's done it before. His mind can't comprehend real life now."

Tina sat down, watching Artie's face, refusing to let go of his hand. "So what now? He's like this for the rest of his life... insane?"

Matt came forward, putting his hand on her shoulder, trying to give her some support. "We don't know what's going to happen Tina. He might pull himself out of it, or he might spend the rest of his life like this. It's just completely unknown." He sighed. "I'm so sorry, Tina."

"Does he react to anything?" Tina asked, not taking her eyes off Artie.

"Sometimes he responds to music," the nurse said from the doorway. "A few songs seem to soothe him."

Tina finally turned around. "Is there one song in particular?" she asked, but she had the feeling she knew the answer already.

"Yes," the nurse said, giving her a curious look. "How did you know?"

Tina shook her head, then turned back to Artie and started to sing gently.

_Stars shining bright above you_  
_Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"_  
_Birds singing in the sycamore tree_  
_Dream a little dream of me_


End file.
